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Is this the beginning of guns being removed from citizens, or is it a smart step to protecting people from mentally unstable people?

SALT LAKE CITY ‚ÄĒ A new bill being considered in the Utah State Legislature would let people get guns out of their homes to avoid incidences of gun violence.

Rep. Dixon Pitcher‚Äôs HB121 creates a ‚Äúsafe harbor‚ÄĚ where people can voluntarily surrender their firearms to local police for up to 60 days.

‚ÄúYou can deposit the gun, short term, to get through an emergency,‚ÄĚ said Pitcher, R-Ogden. ‚ÄúThat‚Äôs what the safe harbor bill does for firearms.‚ÄĚ

Pitcher said police would register the gun and keep it safe.

‚ÄúIt provides a platform if there‚Äôs emergencies in a family ‚ÄĒ let‚Äôs say there‚Äôs somebody who feels like they‚Äôre suicidal or they have someone with a mental illness or a mental dispute or some type of emergency,‚ÄĚ said Pitcher. ‚ÄúUnder the conditions we have right now, this is a good time to get the firearm out of the house.‚ÄĚ

Pitcher said the bill came out of the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. The Ogden lawmaker wondered if circumstances could have changed if the shooter‚Äôs mother had been able to get her guns out of the home, like his bill would do.

‚ÄúIt saves lives,‚ÄĚ he said.

Clark Aposhian of the Utah Shooting Sports Council said he liked the bill ‚Äúin concept,‚ÄĚ but said he had concerns with the bill. He wanted to ensure that no one was surrendering someone else‚Äôs firearm. Pitcher said his bill would not allow police to accept someone else‚Äôs gun.

Aposhian said he also had concerns about a provision in the bill that allowed police to keep the firearm if it went unclaimed after a certain period of time.

‚ÄúLet‚Äôs see if we can get something in the statute that yes, protects someone who may be temporarily despondent and shouldn‚Äôt have access to a firearm, but protects their rights as well,‚ÄĚ he said.

I am just curious about how people will get their guns back if they do surrender them. And, why the mandatory registration if they are turned in? How many mentally ill people will actually take the steps to turn in their guns if they are having issues? Will they be forced to prove that the emergency is over before they can get them back? If not, what is the point of having them surrender them if they can just go pick it up a week later?

I think it is a great idea. If someone in my home had a severe mental illness, or was suicidal, I wouldn't keep a weapon in my home where that person could use it on themselves or another member of the family. I would also be locking up the kitchen knives.

If a person goes to the police with a gun and says "My spouse is going to kill me with this if you don't take it" the police will not refuse to take that weapon. The difference being in this instance that gun will likely not be returned.

Quoting Jack_Squat:

How? It's not likely an abuser will voluntarily surrender his/her guns, and their spouse won't be legally able to because it doesn't belong to them.

Quoting lizzielouaf:

I could see where this would be of great use in domestic violence and abuse situations.

If there are no reports of domestic violence between that husband/wife, and no restraining order in place, there's no legal reason not to give them back to her.

If she is already a victim of DV, chances are she's not going to get rid of his guns, she knows what he would do to her if he found them missing. Remember most DV cases are not reported.

Quoting LauraKW:

If a person goes to the police with a gun and says "My spouse is going to kill me with this if you don't take it" the police will not refuse to take that weapon. The difference being in this instance that gun will likely not be returned.

Quoting Jack_Squat:

How? It's not likely an abuser will voluntarily surrender his/her guns, and their spouse won't be legally able to because it doesn't belong to them.

Quoting lizzielouaf:

I could see where this would be of great use in domestic violence and abuse situations.

It is amazing what people will agree to if you throw in the word "safety." I do not think this is a good idea. It is already easy to lock up your own guns if you think there is a problem, what do they think a gun safe does?

I am sure part of the safe keeping process will be WHY..that opens a window for the authorities to decide whether or not they are returned to you.

Sure. How many mentally unbalanced people will lock up their own guns? LOL.

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